Improvement in washing-machines



l. B. 'FABRAR. Washing-Machines.

Patented Oct. 13,1874.

JkW- N WITNESSES:

ATTIIBNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. FARRAR, OF CARBON TON, NORTH CAROLINA. V

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,935, dated October 13, 1874; application filed September 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. FARRAR, of (Jarbonton, in the county of Moore and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Washing-Machine and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section; Fig. 2 a vertical transverse section through line 00 m.

This invention relates to certain improvements in washing-machines; and its object is to substitute for the old process of hand-rub: bing a machine which shall accomplish equally good results, with a motion almost identical with that of hand rubbing, but with a great saving of labor, and less wear to the fabrics. It consists of a bench or table, having at one end a transverse opening. In said opening, of a symmetrical construction, and disposed on opposite sides of the same, are two rubbers, which, together with flanges projecting from the table at the ends of the opening, form a mouth, into which the clothes are fed. Said rubbers are attached to the ends of radially-adjustable back plates,which rest at the other end against ledges upon the table, and are pressed downwardly by springs, the said rubbers being prevented from bearing too hard upon the clothes by an elastic cushion underneath the back plate. Just beneath the table is a reciprocating slide, running in ways under the same, and operated by a pitman and crank through a spur-gear, actuated by a hand-crank. Said reciprocating slide has in it a transverse slot, which registers with the mouth aforementioned, and through which the clothes pass.

The clothes are in soak in a tub resting upon the table, and are taken from thence and passed through the mouth of the machine, where, from the combined action of the spring-seated rubbers and the reciprocating slot, they are subjected to a motion similar to hand-rubbing, passing through, by their own weight, into a rinsing-tub below.

In the drawing, A represents the table or bench resting upon legs or wheels at a sufficient distance from the ground to admit of a tub beneath. B is the transverse opening in the table, having at its ends the projecting flanges O, which help to form the mouth. 0 represents the radiallyadjustable back plates, which rest against the ledges D, attached to the table, and are held down by the volute spiral springs E, which are disposed around the screw-threaded stems F, and held by the nut G. H are the rubbers, either of wood or rubber, attached to the under side of the back plates 0, and disposed upon opposite sides of the openingin the table., I are ledges, attached to the plates 0 just above the rubbers, which form lips for the mouth. Underneath the table, and runningin the ways J, is the reciprocating slide K, having the transverse slot L, which registers with the under side of the mouth. M are elastic cushions, resting upon the table beneath plates 0, which keep the rubbers a little distance apart from the reciprocating slide, thereby preventing the wear of the clothes. Said reciprocating slide K is connected, by a pitman-rod, N, with the crankwheel O,which is actuated, through the spurgear 1?, by a handcrank, Q.

The operation of this machine is as follows: The clothes being prepared with hot water in the usual way, they are placed in suds in the tub upon the machine, and passed through the mouth of the machine and the slot of the reciprocating slide, which latter takes them and presses them alternately against the opposite rubbers, which automatically adjust themselves to the thickness.

By means of this arrangement the clothes are subjected to a process of rubbing almost the same as in hand-washing, and the pieces of clothes may be washed thoroughly, or only slightly, according to their respective needs, by passing them slowly or rapidly through the machine, as the case may be.

Underneath the mouth of the machine is a tub of pure water, into which the clothes fall and are rinsed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The combination of the back plates 0 dering the rubbers automatically adjustable and rubbers H with the slotted reciprocating to the thickness of the same, substantially as slide K, adapted to slide in ways J substandescribed. tially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the back plates 0, of the elastic cushions M, the spiral spring Witnesses: E, stems F, and nut G, for the purpose of SoLoN O. KEMON preventing the wear of the clothes, and ren- CHAS. A= PETTIT.

J. B. FABRAR. 

